Barrie gets a fresh look with new city signs

Barrie received a cosmetic upgrade on Thursday night, as new city signs were officially installed.

According to the city, the new sign located on the northbound Highway 400, which now reads “Barrie well played,” is in reference to the “outstanding quality of life and opportunities that Barrie provides.” They say this includes the various parks, trails, waterfront, events and restaurants within the city.

Similarly, the sign on the southbound Highway 400 now reads, “Barrie well connected.” This slogan references the city’s geographic location, referring to its proximity to both Toronto and Muskoka. According to the city, it also relates to the connections that Barrie has to family, neighbourhoods, nature, people, businesses and its history.

The new slogans were themes the city says came up repeatedly during consultations. The new signs replaced older versions which simply read, “Welcome to Barrie.”

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The new logo was designed by the city’s marketing and communications team, in an effort to replace the old design which was over 25 years old. The new brand identity was approved by city council back in 2017, when they green-lighted the new signs, logo and slogans to be rolled out over time. According to the city, this was done in an effort to reduce costs.

In an email, senior communications adviser at Access Barrie, Scott LaMantia, said the city spent $14,000 on the new signs. According to LaMantia, this was $16,000 less than the cost originally estimated by a 2017 staff report.

However, some people within the community are unsure about the new signage, and it has garnered mixed reviews online. While some are happy with the fresh new look, others say that the re-brand missed the mark, and the funds could have been better allocated to fixing other problems within the city.